Back-to-school season brings unique challenges for Nebraska foster youth

ITHACA, Neb. (KLKN) – There are nearly 5,000 kids in Nebraska’s school system who are in foster care.

During back-to-school season, their struggles can be overwhelming at times, a feeling that Cynthia Reed can remember well.

Reed spent several years in the foster care system as a teen and switched high schools three times because of it.

Today, she serves as a peer facilitator for JBS International and is the Vice President of Nebraska CASA.

Both organizations advocate for child welfare.

In an interview with Channel 8 on Friday, she described the hardships foster youth experience when returning to school.

“It’s so important to understand that this is just one maybe new thing in the array of all the new things that young people experiencing foster care might be going through,” said Reed.

After a teacher noticed that Cynthia was coming to school late and was taking care of her younger siblings, the teacher began to inquire about her home life.

It led to realizing that Cynthia’s mom was having difficulties taking care of her and ultimately led to foster care.

After entering the system, Cynthia and her siblings moved around several times.

“When there’s so much happening in your home life or you don’t know about what’s happening in your home life, it’s really almost impossible to focus on math and science,” said Reed.

She says both small and big things make a difference, whether that’s never having name brand clothes or not knowing which guardians should sign your school forms.

“Everybody’s got a new back-pack and they have what they need on their list and somebody walked them through making sure they were ready for day one and young people experiencing foster care often don’t have that,” said Reed.

She credits overcoming her circumstance to people around her and advocating for herself and always asking questions.

Her suggestions on how people can help foster youth they encounter?

“Intentional warm touches when you get to school. Somebody who’s saying, hi, this is my name. I know a little bit about what you’re experiencing so let’s walk through this together,” said Reed.

“Then the peer support that can happen is incredible and always the most helpful thing really is relationships that make a difference, and the school is the most consistent place where relationship can happen and matter.”

She suggests a student or teacher ambassador in the school building and also encourages community clothing and backpack drives.

Reed adds that when she was ultimately able to obtain stability, it made a world of a difference.

She ultimately met her husband and best friend once she was able to stay in one place.

Now, she’s sharing her story to give hope to those in her old shoes.